The Team
by fangs.number1.fangirl
Summary: There had been an idea to form a team. A motley crew of sidekicks, put together so that they could defend Earth-16 and its inhabitants when their revered mentors weren't around to do the job. They would be absolutely brilliant. They would be . . . legendary. If only they could manage to get along first.
1. Prologue

**Some notes before you read: This idea came to me spontaneously while I was watching a movie. I forget which movie, since it was a month ago or so, but it was probably action. I'm really excited about writing this and I've been working on it for a while, and I'm really happy with the way it's turning out so far. It's pretty much just my version of how the team met/how they came to be. I'll try to update every week, but I just moved into college this week so I expect to be pretty busy within the next couple months. Plus, I'm also working on another fic at the same time. But I'll try to update as frequently as I can! Anyway I hope you like it!**

**Prologue**

There had been an idea to form a team. A motley crew of sidekicks, put together so that they could defend Earth-16 and its inhabitants when their revered mentors weren't around to do the job. The world needed more heroes, and this assortment would be like no other. The six boys and girls specifically sought out and chosen for the job would be the next generation of the Justice League.

They would be absolutely brilliant.

The first was Robin. Though young, only thirteen, the adopted son of Batman had vast experience in the field of crime fighting. He was exceedingly adept at hand-to-hand combat, as well as a master martial artist, an excellent tactician and a technological genius.

The second was Aqualad. An Atlantean who possessed incredible strength and durability, as well as the ability to breathe and speak underwater. Aquaman's protégé could form weapons out of water and use it to conduct electricity. His leadership skills would make him an asset to the assembled group of young heroes.

The third was Kid Flash. A science prodigy who possessed enhanced speed, though he was marginally slower than his mentor, The Flash. Despite his smaller range of abilities, what he lacked in powers he made up for in his incredible intelligence and steadfast loyalty.

The fourth was Superboy. A clone of Superman rescued from Project Cadmus, he possessed impossible strength, the capability to jump astounding distances into the air, invulnerability, and enhanced hearing. Though he was untrained, he would prove a fast learner.

The fifth was Miss Martian. The inexperienced niece of the Martian Manhunter was young and naïve, but she possessed one of the strongest telepathic minds in the entire galaxy, as well as the gifts of telekinesis, flight, and shape shifting. Her abilities were unparalleled on the League, even by her uncle.

And the sixth was Artemis. Like Robin, she did not possess superpowers, but her skills with a bow and arrow could be matched by no other. As a master archer and a martial artist, she was strong-willed and dedicated, with an independent mindset and a headstrong nature.

These six young heroes would be a new beginning. These six individuals would be the promise of a new age, a new millennium. They would be at the very head of a new generation of superheroes who would one day change the world, just as their mentors had before them.

They would be . . . _legendary_.

If only they could manage to get along first.


	2. Chapter 1

**1.**

Dick Grayson and Wally West arrived together on the first day of training, their mentors talking in hushed tones behind them. The sidekicks were dressed in civilian clothes and carrying their heavy duffel bags with them. Wally stared up at Mount Justice with a grin on his face, his bright red hair dancing softly in the summer breeze. He clapped Dick on the shoulder and let out a blissful sigh.

"Well, buddy, looks like this is gonna be our home for the next few months," he said, and Dick grinned.

"Looks cozy," the younger boy noted, tilting his head back to get the full view of the towering mountain in front of them. The landform was bordered by a small, private beach on one side and a sparsely wooded area on the other. It was a good place for a headquarters, Dick thought appreciatively.

"Hey, Flash!" Wally turned to his mentor behind him, abruptly cutting off the hushed conversation his uncle was having with Batman. "Can we take the grand tour?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Kid." Flash grinned at his nephew and crossed his arms over his chest. "Wait until the others get here."

Just as he said the words, the ocean began to bubble on the small beach. Dick and Wally watched, eyes wide, as Aquaman and a dark-skinned boy with blond hair rose from the water and stepped onto the shore. The boy had black tattoos winding around his arms and webbed fingers and toes.

"Whoa," Wally said. Dick grinned as the two men approached.

"Nice to see you, Orin." Batman shook Aquaman's hand and patted him on the shoulder. "Glad you could make it." He nodded to the younger boy. "Kaldur."

"I am honored to be here, Batman," the boy said. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity."

"Come meet some of your teammates." Batman led the boy over to Wally and Dick, who gave him friendly grins.

"Greetings." Kaldur stuck his hand out, and Dick shook it first. "I am Kaldur'ahm of Atlantis. You may call me Kaldur."

"Nice to meet you, Kaldur. I'm Dick, and this is Wally."

"Robin and Kid Flash, if you want to get technical," Wally said. "And you're Aqualad."

Kaldur nodded. "Indeed. I am looking forward to working with you both."

The sound of a car approaching on the dirt road made all three of the boys turn their heads. Batman approached the shiny black sedan with his arms crossed. The driver of the car got out and came around the side to open the door for his passengers. Superman, dressed in civvies, and a younger-looking version of him stepped out of the car. The boy looked angry. He had his arms crossed over his chest and glared at the ground like it offended him.

"Clark." Batman shook Superman's hand. "Right on time."

"I had to finish some things at the office," Clark said. "But I'm here, aren't I?" Superman turned behind him and nodded to the boy glaring at the ground. "Conner, go meet your teammates." He didn't say it like an order – it was more of a gentle suggestion, but the boy took it as an order anyway. He stalked angrily over to where Dick, Wally and Kaldur were watching him.

Kaldur stepped forward first and stuck out his hand. "You must be Superboy."

Superboy looked wary, but after a moment, he nodded. He shook Kaldur's hand without a word.

"I am Kaldur. This is Dick, and Wally." He gestured behind him to the other two boys, who gave Superboy the same friendly grins they'd given Aqualad.

"I –" Superboy began, but was distracted by the sight of something in the sky. It was a large red spaceship approaching the mountain. Everyone followed his curious gaze and watched as the spaceship lowered itself down onto a large, empty patch of grass beside the mountain. Batman and Superman walked over to the ship to greet the newcomers.

"It's Martian Manhunter," Wally whispered to his teammates as two green-skinned Martians stepped out of the ship. One was the well-known League member and the other was a girl with red hair and freckles. It should've looked strange with her green skin, but on her, it looked . . . cute. That was the word that popped into Superboy's head when he caught her eye.

The girl's feet left the ground as she flew over to her new teammates. She smiled shyly at them all.

"Hi," she said. "I'm M'gann. M'gann M'orzz, J'onn's niece. You can call me Megan, though, if you want. I mean, whatever works for you guys."

"Megan it is, then," Dick said with a smile. He shook her hand, his dark sunglasses glinting in the light from the sun overhead. "I'm Dick."

"Wally. The green skin totally works for you, gorgeous," Wally winked at her as they shook hands, and Megan blushed pink.

"You may call me Kaldur. Welcome to Earth, M'gann," Kaldur smiled at her, and M'gann nodded excitedly.

"Oh, I'm so happy to be here!" she said. "I've dreamed of coming to Earth since I was little. It's so beautiful here." She turned her eyes to Superboy and blushed again, looking down at the ground.

"Hi," he said. "I'm . . . Conner."

"I've always loved that name," she said. "It's nice to meet you, Conner."

He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off again by the sound of another car approaching, this time a black stretch limo. Dick and Wally looked at each other and grinned. They watched in anticipation as two members of the Justice League stepped out – the first was Green Arrow, dressed in a suit and tie, and the second was Black Canary.

Green Arrow – that is, Oliver Queen – turned around and spoke to someone still in the limo. "Come on out, Artemis. Don't be shy."

"I'm _not _shy." A tan girl with a long blonde ponytail and a challenging expression stepped out of the limo, digging the heels of her black boots into the ground. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at her five new teammates as if daring them to talk to her.

"Well, it looks like everyone's here," Black Canary said, smiling at the six young sidekicks. "Excellent."

As Artemis walked over to where the others were standing, Wally raised an eyebrow at her questioningly. "Who are you? Where's Roy?"

"Roy opted out," Green Arrow said before Artemis could open her mouth. "He won't be joining your team."

Wally's face fell. "Did he say why?"

"Personal reasons." Green Arrow shrugged, and Black Canary stepped in and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We gave Roy the option of joining, but he declined. And besides, Artemis was specifically chosen for this job, just like the rest of you."

Artemis smirked at Wally, who glared at her. "Who _are _you?" he asked again, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You'll all get to know each other in time," Black Canary stepped forward. "But what do you say we get settled first?"

The six sidekicks turned towards Mount Justice, and the sight of it sparked excitement and anticipation in their chests.

Black Canary stood in front of the mountain and smiled, opening her arms wide.

"Welcome," she said, "to your new home."


	3. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the delay! I'm honestly the worst at updating and keeping up with stories.**

**2\. **

The mountain was surprisingly comfortable. The team was given a brief tour before they were assigned their rooms, and it was hard for them not to stop and marvel at all the features of Mount Justice. It was nearly impossible to pull Wally away from the fully stocked refrigerator in the kitchen, and Dick was awestruck with all the new technology available to him. He could've stayed in the control room for hours.

After they were given their rooms, the team was instructed to meet in the center of the mountain – the cave – for proper introductions. Artemis was the first to arrive. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she kept a carefully guarded expression on her face as the others slowly filed in. Wally was the last to stumble into the wide room, his arms holding as much food as they could carry. Artemis rolled her eyes, and he glared at her.

Black Canary and Batman stood at the center of the room in front of a holographic computer. The screen floating in midair displayed a list of the names of each sidekick on the team.

"Before we begin official training, introductions must be made," Black Canary said, her hands on her hips. "This team is expected to work _together_ on missions. A certain amount of trust is required in order for that to happen."

"For that trust to be established, there can be no secrets," Batman said darkly. "_Everything _will be out in the open."

"Everything?" Wally's eyes widened, and Batman nodded.

"Why?" Artemis asked him, her tone teasing. "Got something to hide, Kid Idiot?"

"No, but I have a feeling you do," he snapped at her. "Considering no one's ever heard of you before. I didn't even know Green Arrow had another sidekick."

"That's enough." Black Canary stepped forward, cutting off the conversation. "This is exactly why we're doing this. There can't be any doubt among the team, or this whole program will have been for nothing. We chose the six of you because we believed you would work well together as a team. Don't let us down."

Wally and Artemis looked away from each other angrily.

Batman pressed a few keys on the holographic keyboard, and the screen changed to show a detailed profile of each sidekick present.

"We'll start with you, Wally." Black Canary read from his profile while he crunched on a bag of chips. "Wallace West, otherwise known as Kid Flash. Age 15. Partner of Barry Allen, AKA The Flash. Powers and abilities include super-speed and telescopic goggles that enhance his vision. Incredibly intelligent, but known to be impulsive and competitive."

"Hey, I'm not competitive!" Wally protested over a mouthful of chips. Next to him, Dick laughed.

"Oh, yeah? Remember the last track meet I went to? You almost ran that poor kid into the ground."

"Hey, he deserved it. He was a jerk," Wally said with a shrug, and Dick grinned and shook his head.

"Next," Black Canary said, and the boys automatically turned their attention to her. "Richard Grayson, otherwise known as Robin. Age 13. Protégé of the Batman. Powers and abilities include amazing acrobatic skills, martial arts expertise and genius hacking skills. Tech expert and most experienced in the field. Has a habit of being immature."

"Right, just 'cause I'm the youngest it means I'm immature," Dick rolled his eyes.

"Kaldur'ahm," Black Canary continued without missing a beat. "AKA Aqualad. Age 16. Apprentice to Aquaman. Powers and abilities include amphibious traits, electric eel tattoos that allow him to conduct electricity, and water-bearers. Trained warrior, with an air of confidence. Has a tendency to daydream."

"Conner Kent. Superboy. Cloned from Superman, aged 6 months. Age 16 in human years. Powers and abilities include super-strength, infrared vision, and the ability to jump extremely high distances. Notes on the subject say that he is untrained and has an explosive temper."

Everyone saw Superboy's fists clench angrily, but no one said anything.

"M'gann M'orzz, or Miss Martian. Age 16. Niece of Martian Manhunter. Powers and abilities include shape-shifting, telepathy and telekinesis. Extremely vulnerable to fire. Personality is described as sweet and optimistic, though naïve."

Miss Martian winced and looked down at the ground.

"And lastly, Artemis."

When Black Canary said her name, Artemis tensed visibly. Wally narrowed his eyes at her.

"Artemis Crock, age 15. Powers and abilities include being a master archer and martial artist. Strong-willed and dedicated, but a tough attitude."

"I do _not _have a tough attitude." Artemis raised her chin and crossed her arms over her chest. Black Canary gave her a look and continued speaking.

"Notes on the subject say she has a dangerous past. She is the daughter of ex-con Huntress and Shadow villain Sportsmaster. Sister to Cheshire. Taken on as a sidekick by Green Arrow."

Artemis was intensely aware of everyone staring at her.

"Her family's part of the Shadows," Wally interjected. "And you want us to trust _her_? She could turn on us at any minute!"

"Nice to know you have my back," Artemis snapped at him.

"Yes, we want you to trust her," Black Canary said. "The point of this was so that there would be no secrets. Like Batman said, everything is out in the open. We specifically chose Artemis for this job because we truly believed she was capable of what we are asking of her. Her skills are highly impressive, and Green Arrow took her on as a sidekick because she didn't want to be a part of the Shadows. She chose to lead a life fighting against crime instead of committing it."

"Thanks for giving them my life story, Dinah," Artemis sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, and Black Canary frowned disapprovingly at her.

"Artemis, you knew what would –"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." She waved a hand in the air dismissively and refused to look at anyone.

Black Canary sighed and turned back to the team. "Here's what's going to happen. Over the next few months, you will train together as a team. You will each be given different exercises to test your strengths and weaknesses, and you will learn to work together to accomplish tasks. You will not be given a mission until the League feels you are ready."

Wally opened his mouth to protest, but a sharp look from Batman made him close it again.

"While you are living here, you won't have to go to school –"

"Yes!" Wally and Dick bumped fists and grinned ecstatically.

"- but you will still have to keep up with your academia. Special teachers will be brought in to instruct you when you're not training," Black Canary finished, and Dick and Wally groaned in unison.

"I will be your combat instructor, and Batman will be your official mission advisor. He will assign you missions and send you out into the field. Red Tornado will be your official supervisor while you're living here. If any circumstances arise where the three of us will not be available, you will have an assigned . . . den mother, as it were, from the League to watch over you in our absence," Black Canary looked at each of the team members individually, her gaze landing on Artemis last. "Is that clear?"

"Clear," the team said together.

Black Canary smiled. "Good." She sighed with a note of finality. "Official training doesn't begin until tomorrow, so you have the rest of the day to explore the mountain and relax. In each of your rooms you'll find your training gear, as well as your costumes."

"Do not leave the mountain without clearance from either one of us," Batman said, stepping away from the holographic computer. The screen and the keyboard disappeared. "Only way in or out is through zeta tubes, and we'll be able to tell if one of you has gone through. You've all been authorized in the system, and you each have your own designation number."

"This is so cool," Wally whispered excitedly. He grinned at Dick. "We're part of a team."

"I know all of this might be a little overwhelming at first," Black Canary said, spreading her arms wide to encompass the mountain they were standing in, "but try to take it all in stride. You'll get used to it in time."

As Artemis watched her new teammates disperse from the room, she clenched her fists and took a deep breath. Black Canary leveled her gaze on the archer.

"Everything all right, Artemis?"

She forced a smile. "Yes, Dinah. Everything's fine. Just peachy."

"You shouldn't be nervous. You have nothing to hide from them."

"I'm not nervous," Artemis snapped.

Dinah gave her a look, but didn't push the subject. Batman had disappeared, as well as the rest of the team, and the two blondes were the only people left in the cave.

Dinah put a hand on Artemis's shoulder and squeezed it.

"I made a promise to Ollie that I would watch over you," she said quietly. "Please don't make it harder for me, Artemis."

Artemis opened her mouth to say something about how she didn't need a babysitter, but the look in Dinah's eyes made her shut it again. She huffed indignantly.

"Fine. I'll be in my room."

"You should interact with your teammates – "

"I will be. In my room." And with that, she turned her back on Black Canary and strode from the cave, down the hallway to where her new bedroom was. Her suitcase lay unopened in the center of her bed. Artemis sighed and unzipped it. Lying on the top was her favorite book, Alice in Wonderland.

She picked it up, holding it with care, and placed it on her bedside table with a smile.


	4. Chapter 3

**3.**

Wally's alarm woke him up on the first day of training, and he groaned to himself. He rolled over in bed and hit the alarm with his hand, shutting it off.

"Ten more minutes," he mumbled at the ceiling.

He was afforded a few minutes of peaceful silence until a loud, blaring alarm blasted through the speakers in the walls, making his whole room shake. He was out of bed in an instant, had his training uniform on in another second, and was in the main cave in a flash.

"I'm here, I'm here!" he shouted, pulling his shirt down over his stomach. The rest of the team was already in line. Dick was laughing as Wally skidded into the cave.

"Nice of you to join us, Wally," Black Canary smirked at the redhead, whose red hair was still ruffled and messy from sleep. Artemis crossed her arms over her chest and smirked too, and Wally glared at her.

"Now that you're all here, let's begin."

The words immediately brought the six young heroes to attention. Black Canary clasped her hands behind her back and began to pace slowly in front of them.

"Since today is the first day, it won't be anything too difficult. Basic training to start you all off. You will each be put through a series of individual tests that will be specific to your unique abilities," she explained, and Artemis's fingers tingled in anticipation of holding a bow. She wanted to show her new teammates what she was made of.

"Each test has been designed with your abilities in mind," Black Canary continued. "How you do on these tests will determine how soon you will be ready to go out into the field."

Dick and Wally grinned at each other at the thought of actually fighting bad guys. This was gonna be so cool.

"Today, we'll measure your strength, speed, agility, and endurance. Tomorrow, we'll move on to combat training."

"Sweet!" Dick held up his hand, and Wally high-fived it enthusiastically. Artemis rolled her eyes.

"We'll start with Superboy," Black Canary said, and Superboy grimaced. "Follow me, Conner."

Everyone watched as they left the room, disappearing into an alcove. For a second, everyone was silent. Awkwardness fell in the air and the team members started fidgeting nervously, unsure what to do with themselves. They had only just met yesterday, after all.

"I just want to take this opportunity to say that I am excited to begin working with you all," Aqualad spoke up, breaking the awkward silence. "In Atlantis, my friend Garth and I always worked together, but I have never been part of such a large team before. It will be interesting to see how it goes."

"I'm excited, too," M'gann piped up, tucking her red hair behind her green ear. "I can't wait to get to know you all better. It'll be fun to work together."

"What do you guys think of the mountain so far?" Dick asked, looking around at the giant cave. "It's pretty nice, huh?"

"Dude, did you see the kitchen? It's stocked." Wally practically had hearts in his eyes. "All you can eat and more."

M'gann laughed, and he winked at her. The Martian blushed and smiled at him.

Artemis stood off to the side as her teammates began talking. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the cave wall, her posture closed-off. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to them, but it was more like she didn't know how. She'd never been the type to make friends easily. At school, she was always the odd one out. A lot of people were afraid of her. She used to get into trouble a lot for getting into fistfights, so people mostly stayed out of her way. But that was how she liked it most of the time.

"Artemis?"

"Hm?" The archer turned her head to see everyone staring at her. M'gann was smiling welcomingly.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Of the mountain?"

"Oh." Artemis shrugged. "It's nice. A lot bigger than anything I'm used to."

"There are caves like this on Mars, so I'm pretty much used to it, but it's still so cool," M'gann said. "I mean, I've never had my own room before. I always had to share with my sisters."

Artemis remembered when she'd had to share a room with Jade, before she'd walked out. The memory made her heart constrict painfully in her chest, and she clenched her fists.

"Yeah," she said, not really sure what else to say.

Awkward silence fell for another moment before Kaldur smiled at Artemis.

"I am eager to see how well you do with a bow and arrow," he said. "I heard your skills were unparalleled."

Artemis smiled with pride and stood a little straighter. "They are."

"I still don't understand why Roy opted out," Wally mumbled to Dick out of the side of his mouth, and Dick elbowed him. Artemis's smile disappeared.

"Do you have something to say, Kid Idiot?" she snapped, and Wally glared at her.

"Yeah, actually, I do." He opened his mouth to say it, but Artemis shook her head.

"Unless you want to keep all of your extremities, I wouldn't," she warned, stepping closer to him. "You don't want to get on my bad side."

"What happens if I do?" he taunted, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You'll regret it until the day you die," she said. "Which might be soon, if you keep pissing me off."

"Please, stop!" M'gann said, her eyes wide. "We shouldn't be fighting. We're teammates now, and we have to get along."

"I don't think getting along was required. It was more of a polite suggestion," Artemis said.

"Either way, a team cannot work well together if we are at odds with each other," Kaldur stepped in between Artemis and Wally before either of them could hit the other. "If we cannot be friends, we must try to be civil towards each other, for the sake of the team."

"He's right." Batman appeared out of the shadows, and immediately each of the team members stood at attention like soldiers towards their commanding officer. "If you two can't get along, it'll be a problem. Either one of you can be easily replaced as fast as you were selected for this project."

Artemis and Wally glared at each other quickly, and then looked away.

"She started it," Wally mumbled.

"Oh, don't you _dare _try to pin this on me." Artemis's blood boiled with anger. "I can't believe –"

"That's enough." Batman's deep voice echoed through the cave, and Artemis shut up. She seethed silently to herself, refusing to look at Wally again. "Artemis. Keep your temper in check. And Kid Flash, don't antagonize her."

Artemis clenched her hands into fists. She hated being scolded like a child. It was stupid Kid Idiot's fault, and everyone knew it.

Batman stood watch over the team for the next half hour while Superboy finished his testing. When he emerged into the cave again with Black Canary, everyone looked up.

"How'd it go?" M'gann asked, smiling at Conner. He shrugged.

"Fine," he said. M'gann looked hurt for a second at his tone, and she looked down at the ground.

Black Canary let her gaze travel down the line of sidekicks until her eyes landed on Wally.

"Kid Flash," she said. "You're up."


	5. Chapter 4

**Sorry this is so short (and really, really, really late!)**

**4.**

Wally followed Black Canary into the alcove, his nerves eating at him. But of course, he wasn't about to let that show.

"So, gorgeous," he said, matching Black Canary's fast pace, "What kind of tests you got lined up for me?"

"We'll start by testing your speed," the woman said, leading him through a doorway. They emerged into what looked like a control room with a large window that faced out into a huge, empty tunnel-shaped space. Black Canary opened another door to let Wally out into the giant room. She closed the door behind him, and then her voice crackled loudly over a speaker in the wall.

"This space was created to see how fast you can run under certain weather conditions," she said into the microphone. "Rain, snow, sleet, hail. It will also provide obstacles in an attempt to throw you off. How well you dodge those obstacles will determine your score."

Wally nodded, suddenly serious. He stretched out his arms and legs. "Whenever you're ready, beautiful."

Black Canary pressed a button in the control room, and it began to rain a huge, torrential downpour. Wally didn't hesitate. He started running. The rain driving into his eyes was annoying – he wished they would've let him use his goggles – but he powered through it, running back and forth as fast as he could. As soon as the rain stopped, the snow started. Big white flurries poured down from the ceiling, but Wally was running too fast for any of the flakes to land on him. Suddenly, rocks jutted up from the ground. He dodged around them quickly, holding back a curse. They couldn't give a guy some warning?

He made it through the first test easily. When the ceiling stopped throwing hail the size of cotton balls at him and the obstacles stopped jutting up from the ground, Wally stopped and bent over to put his hands on his knees, breathing heavily. Man, he was hungry.

"Hey, when's breakfast?" he shouted up to Black Canary.

"Once you're done your individual testing, feel free to take anything you want from the kitchen," she said, her voice echoing in the wide chamber. "Good job, Wally. Your skills are impressive."

"So I've been told," he said proudly, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "But I've got other skills than just running fast, gorgeous. I could show you some time –"

"Your next test will be strength," Black Canary cut him off and gestured for him to come back into the control room. "Follow me."

His testing took an hour, and by the time he was finished, he was absolutely starving. He was holding his stomach when he walked back into the main cave, where the rest of his teammates were waiting.

Dick grinned at him and held up his hand. "How'd you do?"

Wally gave his best friend a high-five. "Passed with flying colors, obviously. The Wall-Man's got skills."

"Wall-Man?" Artemis raised one eyebrow at him in disdain. "Seriously? That's what you call yourself?" She smirked, and Wally frowned at her.

"You're just jealous 'cause I did better than you, Blondie," he said.

"I haven't even gone in yet," Artemis snapped.

"Yeah, but I already got a higher score than you."

"Artemis," Black Canary said before the archer could respond, nodding her head towards the alcove. "You're next."

Artemis gave Wally a superior smile. "I hope you like coming in second, Wall-Man."

She was already gone by the time Wally thought of a comeback, so he just frowned and started walking towards the hallway that led to the kitchen. He needed fuel if he was gonna have to put up with _her _for the rest of the day.


	6. Chapter 5

**I know, I know, it's been over a month since I updated and I am a piece of trash. I can't tell you guys how sorry I am for being so late with this. I'm in the process of trying to transfer schools, and being at college has put a lot of stress on me. I've been really depressed the last month and I haven't really had any motivation to write anything. But I promise I'm not giving up on this, or my other ongoing fics! Just hang in there and be patient with me, please :) Anyway, here's the long-awaited chapter five. Enjoy!**

**5\. **

Artemis gripped her bow tightly, craning her neck back and forth to stretch it out. Black Canary had led her into a room that seemed specifically designed for her – a bunch of different targets were set up all around the floor, spaced out at intervals. Some were close, some were far away, some were hanging from the ceiling. Artemis suspected they wanted her to shoot them all. Too easy.

But when Black Canary pressed a button and obstacles started hitting her arrows out of the way, she got mad.

Artemis knocked the dummies back with high kicks and well-aimed punches. Whenever the sole of her boot made contact with a plastic dummy, she smiled. She shot arrows this way and that, and each one hit their target true. She never missed a bulls-eye. She shot some explosive arrows to take out a couple of the dummies at once, running around the room like a whirling dervish. When her quiver was empty, she stood back to assess the damage, breathing hard. Artemis put her hands on her hips and smiled satisfactorily. She turned to grin at Black Canary and the two suits who'd been watching her performance. They were all talking in hushed tones to each other, nodding their heads.

A little annoyed, Artemis crossed her arms over her chest. "How'd I do?"

Black Canary turned to her and nodded. "Very good, Artemis. You've exceeded expectations."

"Of course," Artemis shrugged as if that should've been obvious. "What's next?"

"Next we'll test your strength." Black Canary gestured for Artemis to leave the practice room, and the two women walked down the hallway to the weight room. Artemis cracked her knuckles and stretched out her shoulders and arms, heading for the barbell without even a prompt from Black Canary.

"You're angry," Dinah said quietly as Artemis laid back on the leather seat. The older woman could see the telltale crease in between Artemis's eyes that always gave her away.

"No, I'm focused," Artemis said. "There's a difference." She put her hands on the metal bar and flexed her muscles, but before she could lift it, Black Canary put a hand on the bar and held it down.

"You're hostile towards your teammates," Black Canary said. "That isn't good, Artemis."

"I'm not hostile," she protested. "I just don't know them well enough to trust them yet."

"Trust is imperative on the battlefield."

"I know that. It's just gonna take some time." Artemis didn't trust easily. She _definitely_ didn't trust Wally, the stupid idiot. Aqualad, sure. M'gann, maybe. Superboy seemed too closed off, and there was something about Dick that was a little iffy. But it would take a while before she trusted any of them with her life.

"If you can't handle being on this team –"

"I can handle it." Artemis cut Black Canary off before she could finish her sentence and glared at her. They couldn't kick her off the team. Even if she barely knew them, the team was the only thing she had. She didn't want to go back home.

Black Canary gazed at the young archer steadily for a few moments before Artemis closed her eyes and sighed. Her shoulders slumped.

"I can handle it," she said, her voice softer this time. "I know I'm being difficult. I'm sorry. I'm just not used to this."

Dinah smiled softly in understanding. "Just give it time. You'll warm up to each other eventually. And if you ever need anything, you can always come find me. Oliver is only a phone call away, as well."

Artemis nodded. "Thanks." It was all she could say.

Black Canary stood back. "Now," she said, nodding towards the weights. "Let's see how strong you are."


	7. Chapter 6

**So yes, I am officially the worst person on the planet when it comes to keeping up with fics. BUT I just finished re-watching all of YJ so I could get my inspiration back for this one and the other continuous one I'm writing. I'll try to update more frequently. Also sorry this chapter is so short but I hope you like it nonetheless! **

**6\. **

"So when do we get to go into the field?" Wally asked over a mouthful of cookies. It was much later in the day – everyone had finished their testing, and the teammates were all standing in the main cave with Batman and Black Canary, awaiting their results.

"Not so fast, Kid," Black Canary smirked at him. "I admire your eagerness, but you're not quite ready yet. Though all of you did pass your tests within the highest percentiles, there are still some things we need to cover before we can assign you your first official mission."

"Combat training begins tomorrow morning at six a.m.," Batman said somberly, and Wally groaned inwardly to himself. "Black Canary will teach you basic maneuvers and moves, and once you've each taken a turn with her, we'll split you up into teams and have you spar with each other."

"And then we get to go out in the field?" Wally leaned forward excitedly, and Artemis, on the other side of the room, scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"No, idiot," she snapped. "Then we have to do weapons training."

He glared at her while Black Canary spoke.

"Artemis is right," she said. "Weapons training comes after combat. After that, we'll put you through a few practice exercises to see how well you work together."

"Hey, what about a team leader?" Dick spoke up, stealing one of Wally's cookies. "Don't we have to elect one or something?"

"I was getting to that," Black Canary smiled at him. "During each practice exercise you go through, each of you will take turns as leader of the team. At the final end of the testing, you will all unanimously vote on a leader amongst yourselves."

"Sounds fair," Artemis said, already forming a plan in her mind to figure out how to lead the team. She wanted to prove herself, and being elected was the best way to do that.

"And _then _we get to go into the field?" Wally was practically bouncing on his feet.

"Yes," Batman nodded. "At the end of the month, when your training is complete, I will assign you your first mission."

"However, you're all done for today," Black Canary said. "Congratulations all of you on passing your tests. You should relax and rest up for tomorrow. You're going to need your energy."


	8. Chapter 7

**7\. **

"Hey, watch it! You almost hit me!" Wally dodged the punch Artemis threw at him while she rolled her eyes.

"That's kind of the point, genius," she snapped. She had no idea why Black Canary thought it would be a good idea to pair her up with Kid Idiot for sparring practice – she would've much rather sparred with Aqualad or Superboy, who seemed like the two strongest fighters. She liked a challenge. And Kid Idiot was anything but. Sure, he was fast, but that was about it. And he wasn't even supposed to be using his speed anyway. Combat practice was meant for building up fighting skills.

The team had been at it all day – they'd all woken up to the sound of their preprogrammed alarms at six a.m. sharp and gathered in the main cave for a rundown of the day's itinerary. After a full, nutritious breakfast to build up their energy, Black Canary had shocked them all awake with her combat moves; she'd demonstrated each maneuver with precision and accuracy that Artemis envied, and she tried her hardest to emulate. She wanted to be the best.

She felt like she was being treated unfairly when she was paired with _Wally _for sparring practice.

But she was beating him anyway, and she took some satisfaction from that, at least. She smiled to herself as she aimed a kick at his midsection.

"Is that the best you can do?" she taunted him, and he frowned. Wally's expression became serious and focused. He knew he wasn't supposed to use his speed, and he was trying not to – but his speed had always been second nature to him, and it was a hard habit to kick. He couldn't help it if he cheated a little.

He and Artemis had been fighting for twenty minutes, almost evenly matched. M'gann had already defeated Aqualad, and Superboy had overcome Robin in the other corner. They would switch partners when everyone was finished – everyone would get a chance to spar with each other for equal opportunity. But right now, all eyes were on Wally and Artemis. Black Canary was watching them carefully. Wally tried not to let that make him loose his focus.

He could see the sweat beading on Artemis's brow and the fierce, determined expression on her face. Her long blonde ponytail swung like a whip behind her while she dodged Wally's advances and blocked his moves. She was good, he'd give her that. The problem was, he wanted to be better. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of winning.

They circled each other cautiously in their little ring, both breathing heavily. Artemis watched Wally carefully, waiting for any little slip-up he might make. Watching for her chance to strike.

Wally found his first. He feinted to the left, and when Artemis followed, falling for the trick, he grinned and ducked underneath her arm to get behind her. In another second he'd flipped her over onto her back and pinned her to the mat.

"Game, set, match," he said, standing over her with a victorious, smug smile. "And that's how it's done, ladies and gentlemen."

Their little audience applauded, and Wally beamed. Artemis was fuming from below him. When he offered his hand to help her up, she swatted it away angrily.

"Whatever," she snapped. She stood up and crossed her arms over her chest, furious at herself that she'd lost. She'd been stupid – she should've known he was going to make that move. What would her father say if he'd seen that? He would've called her weak and ignorant. She wasn't paying attention enough.

Black Canary stepped forward and smiled at them.

"Well done, both of you," she said, looking pointedly at Artemis, whose shoulders slumped. "I'm impressed. I didn't expect the two of you to go at it for so long."

"Are you kidding? I could do this all day." Wally raised his chin high and smirked at Artemis, who had to hold back a growl. God, he was such an arrogant jerk.

"Oh, really?" Her hands clenched into fists and she stepped forward, getting in his face. "How about best two of out of three, then?"

"Why don't we take a break for now?" Black Canary got between the two of them before fists could start flying. "You've all done exceptionally well this morning. Take an hour or two, have some lunch and regroup before we switch partners."

Wally's stomach grumbled at the mention of lunch.

"Oh, I could really go for a Chicken Whizee right now." He rubbed his stomach and licked his lips. "Oh, man. Make that a double Chicken Whizee."

"Unfortunately, I can't let you leave the mountain for food," Black Canary smirked at him when Wally frowned. "But the kitchen is fully stocked."

Those words were all he needed. Wally zipped out of the main cave and into the kitchen, where he started crafting himself the most spectacular sandwich Mount Justice had ever seen. The others arrived a few minutes later, hindered by their normal human speed. Poor saps, Wally thought.

Artemis glared at him when she came in, trailing a few feet behind the others, and stayed as far away from him as possible. She was still angry about having lost the fight. She'd be over it by tomorrow, but right now, her brain was supplying her with every little thing she'd done wrong, every wrong move she'd made. She needed to do better in her next fight. She needed to prove herself.

_Then maybe, _she thought as she watched the rest of the team congregate around the kitchen island while she stood alone off to the side, _isolating yourself from your new teammates isn't the best idea. _

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to join the conversation.

"What do you think our first mission will be?" Wally was asking over a mouthful of sandwich. Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Something easy by League standards," Robin said. "They wouldn't hit us with the hard stuff yet. Not until we've had at least a year of training."

"Where do you think they'll send us first?" M'gann asked wistfully. "Earth is full of such beautiful places. I hope one day I'll get to see all of them."

"I'd love to show you around Central City sometime, gorgeous," Wally winked at her. Artemis rolled her eyes again.

"I hope they _do _hit us with the hard stuff first," she spoke up, feeling uncomfortable when everyone's eyes turned to her. "It would be a great way to prove to the League that we're capable of just as much as they are."

Superboy nodded in agreement, his arms crossed over his chest. Artemis smiled and held her chin a little higher.

"Whatever mission Batman assigns us, we will be ready," Aqualad broke in. He sounded confident and assured. Artemis wished she could sound like that. "I believe we all did well this morning in sparring. I was impressed by all of you."

"I think we'll do great on our first mission!" M'gann smiled encouragingly. "With all of our skills combined, we'll win for sure."

"We just have to learn to work together," Robin said, looking at Wally and then Artemis. The two looked at each other and then defiantly away, turning their noses up.

"I'm not the one with the anger management issues," Wally mumbled, and Artemis's fists clenched.

"You have a _problem _with me, Kid Idiot?"

"Only that _you _have a problem with _everyone_," he said, and Artemis's eyes narrowed.

"This is what I mean," Robin said, and the others nodded. "The League's never gonna trust us to work together if you guys won't stop butting heads."

"I don't know what your problems are, but you really need to put them aside and start learning how to be friends," Superboy said, speaking for the first time. Everyone looked at him in surprise, and he automatically looked down at the ground. "I mean, we're pretty much stuck with each other. Might as well get used to it."

Artemis and Wally glared at each other from across the kitchen island. Both of them hated to admit it, but Superboy was right. As much as they didn't like it, as much as they wished it could be different, they both had to accept the facts.

They were stuck with each other.


	9. Chapter 8

**I've been lazy. That's my only excuse for not updating sooner. But I started watching YJ again to get my inspiration back for this and the other fic I'm working on. Hope you enjoy!**

**8.**

The next day was weapons training. Artemis's hands were practically itching to hold her bow as soon as she woke up that morning, primed and ready for anything the day had to throw at her. She was excited for weapons training – what she lacked in superpowers, she made up for with her skills with a bow and arrow. She was the first one in the cave when Black Canary called them all in.

"Morning, everyone," Black Canary said cheerfully when the team was all gathered. "I hope you all got your rest. Today we begin weapons training, which will be considerably harder than what you did yesterday."

Wally groaned. "I don't even need a weapon," he said. "All I need is to run fast. Can't I just skip this part?"

"No," Black Canary gave him a somber look, and he sighed. "Every member of this team is required to complete all aspects of basic training, and that includes weapons. Should a mission ever occur where you would need to use a weapon – and trust me, it will happen – you need to be prepared. My job is to make sure you know how to handle it." She cracked her knuckles and grinned, and the team watched her step to the side. Behind her was a metal table, laid end to end with all sorts of weapons. There were guns, clubs, spiked sticks, maces, axes, grappling hooks, knives, throwing stars, bows and arrows like the one Artemis carried, nunchucks, and even a few swords. Some of the guns dispensed things other than bullets, like poison darts. There was a laser gun, too. But Artemis wasn't focused on anything besides the bow and arrow. It was all she ever needed.

"I'll go through each one and explain what it does, and then you'll each take a turn at target practice," Black Canary said. "Be cautious and careful."

Robin's favorites were the escrima sticks. Two long black poles that he wielded with ease; some parts glowing blue to show that they were mechanized. With a press of a button, the sticks could sprout a sharp blade on either end. Robin was very at home with them.

Aqualad liked his water-bearers; the twin swords he carried strapped to his back were able to conduct electricity and turn water into a weapon. He preferred to use them in combat over anything else.

Wally was still adamant about not needing a weapon. He had his speed and his goggles, and that was all he needed. But if he had to pick one, it would be the laser gun. Or the nunchucks. _Way _cool.

Superboy preferred to use his hands in combat; his strength was his greatest asset in battle, and he was hesitant towards using a weapon. But when he picked up one of the heavy wooden clubs, he liked the way it felt in his hands.

Miss Martian, like some of her teammates, preferred not to use a weapon either. Her mind was her weapon; telepathy and telekinesis were her greatest strengths. But since weapons training was required, she begrudgingly picked up one of the throwing stars and aimed it at the target across the room.

And Artemis, of course, loved her bow. There was nothing better than the feeling of pulling her shoulders back, nocking an arrow, and letting it fly, watching it soar through the air and hit its target true in the center. She always got a little thrill every time she did it. Her arrows were special – there were normal ones, obviously, but she liked the ones that spouted knockout gas, or the ones that shot out nets to capture the bad guys, or the ones that encased her enemies in high-density polyurethane foam. There were explosive arrows, bola arrows, incendiary arrows that caught on fire, flash arrows that blinded her opponents with a bright light, arrows that could hack into security cameras, pressure arrows, Taser arrows, and tracer arrows. Artemis didn't want to say anything, but she felt like she had the superior weapon to anything else on the table, and she felt as powerful as she ever would while she was using it.

By the time weapons training was over, each member of the team had practiced with each weapon provided. It wasn't guaranteed that they would ever need to use some of them in combat, but Black Canary drilled it into their heads that it was important to know how to use each one regardless.

"So does this mean we get to go out on a mission tomorrow?" Wally asked when they had been dismissed for the day, and Artemis rolled her eyes.

"Do you _ever _listen? They have to put us through training simulations first. Exercises to see how we would do out in the field and see how well we work together. _Then _we get a real mission."

"If Batman thinks we're ready," Robin added.

"Which we will be," Wally said confidently.

"I believe we will be ready, too," Aqualad said. "You have all proven to be exceptionally skillful warriors, and already you have each gained my trust. In the short amount of time we've known each other, you have all become my friends."

"That's sweet, Kaldur! You're all my friends, too," M'gann said cheerfully. "My best friends. Well . . . my only friends, I guess." Her face fell.

"Do you think Bats will ever let us outside the mountain so we can interact with normal people?" Wally asked. "I mean, I know we have to go to school here and stuff, so does that mean we're never gonna see the outside world again?"

"No, you idiot," Artemis snapped, unable to help herself. God, he made it so easy! "He's not going to keep us here and force us to be mole people. I'm sure when we're not training we'll be allowed outside. We have families, after all."

"When are we not gonna be training?" Wally asked. "Do we get weekends off or something?"

"I think we just get free time whenever it comes," Robin said. "If there's no crime to be fighting, we can just chill. There's a beach outside the mountain. We can hang out there."

"I'd love to go shopping for Earth clothes!" M'gann said, turning to Artemis with a bright smile. "Artemis, will you come with me?"

She shrugged. "If they let us. I don't really like shopping though." M'gann looked sad, and Artemis quickly recovered. "But it would be nice to see my friends from my old school. I could . . . introduce you, if you want."

The Martian's face immediately lit up. "That would be wonderful! I love meeting new people!"

Artemis smiled. As the others talked, she hung back and tried to get used to the idea of calling these people her friends. She liked M'gann, even if she was a little too friendly, and Kaldur seemed like someone she could trust. Superboy was still too quiet and closed-off for her to get a good read on him. Robin was nice, and a little immature, but she liked that about him. And Wally . . . ugh. She could _not_ see herself being friends with Wally. But the others?

Artemis smiled to herself when no one was looking. Maybe, just maybe, she could get used to this.


	10. Chapter 9

**It's been too long, I know. I'm sorry. Just bear with me.**

9.

It was a few more weeks before the team was put through their first training simulation. During their down time, they spent the hours roaming the halls of the Cave, exploring hidden crevices and becoming familiar with their new home. Wally and Dick versed each other in video games in the living room; M'gann tried her hand at baking in the kitchen, and Wally ate everything she cooked; Superboy mostly stayed locked up in his room, only to be coaxed out by gentle prompts from M'gann when she wanted everyone to play a board game together, but _that _usually ended up in disaster (everyone made a mental note never to play Monopoly with each other ever again); Kaldur spent most of his time reading or training on his own. Artemis liked to do that, too. Sometimes she would run into him in the training room, and she'd wait patiently in the entrance until he was done and she could have her turn. He always nodded kindly at her on his way out, and she always smiled back.

On the weekends, when they were let out of the mountain, Artemis met up with her very few friends from her old school, with M'gann tagging along in the guise of Megan. Artemis suffered through shopping trips for 'Earth clothes', dodged personal questions about her home life and her family, and tried hard to keep a smile on her face when M'gann asked her to bake something with her. The other team members usually went home for the weekends – Wally to his parents' house, usually with Dick in tow, Kaldur to visit Atlantis and the friends he'd only mentioned once or twice (Artemis thought their names might've been Tula and Garth), and Superboy . . . well, no one was sure of what Superboy got up to during his time alone. When M'gann wasn't trying to bond with Artemis, she was trying to bond with _him, _making determined, desperate attempts to get him to open up and talk more. It was evident in the weeks that followed that she'd developed a little crush on him, but nobody ever said anything, even though sometimes M'gann asked Artemis for advice that she had no idea how to give. Wally was blissfully oblivious, flirting with M'gann every chance he got. It made Conner clench his fists and Artemis roll her eyes.

The team developed a tentative and teetering friendship. Most of the time they all managed to get along, but there was always the occasional outburst from Artemis towards Wally, who took every opportunity he could to annoy her. Superboy would blow up at random sometimes over the smallest things, eliciting tears from M'gann that he immediately felt sorry for. Robin would pull pranks on the others, resulting in very angry shouting matches that usually caused an intervention from Black Canary or Red Tornado. If there was ever anything that was causing strain among the teammates, they were forced into group therapy with Black Canary, who sat there patiently while the team members aired their grievances to each other.

It wasn't easy, but they were getting used to it. Somewhat. They squabbled like roommates did, and when one of them was angry, they usually poured it into more training.

In between all of this, their school lessons started. There never seemed to be a tight schedule for their academics – Red Tornado would come over the intercom at random times and tell them to report to the school room where they were to be taught. Special instructors had been hired by the League to come in and teach them, but sometimes, the team was taught by interchanging members of the League. Captain Atom for history (of America, but also of the Justice League), the Flash for science and math (which Wally was always ecstatic about), Green Arrow for English. When the League members taught them, the team was always happy to participate in lessons and eager to please; when the hired teachers came in, there was always a lot more falling asleep in class.

After the six teenagers had been living in not-quite-harmony in Mount Justice for a month, Batman announced their first training simulation.

"_Finally_!" Kid Flash pumped his fists in the air as the team members all met in the Cave for instructions. "It's about time we got to see some action!"

"You realize we're not actually going out into the field, right?" Robin asked his best friend with a grin, and Wally's face fell.

"We're not?"

Artemis couldn't help it. She prodded him. "Oh my God, do you _ever _pay attention? To _anything_? It's a training exercise, you idiot."

He glared at her and decided, wisely, to ignore her. He turned his attention instead to Batman, who stood in front of the computer before them.

"Come on, Batsy; it's been a month. I'd say it's high time we're ready to take on the big guns," Kid Flash prompted with a grin. Batman gave no sign of having heard him. His expression was always the same.

"When and if you are ready to take on a real mission is for the League to decide," he said in his usual dark voice. Kid Flash opened his mouth to protest, but Robin elbowed him in the side to shut him up.

Black Canary sauntered into the room, taking up a post beside Batman. She glanced down the line of assembled sidekicks, her gaze landing on Artemis last.

"Over the next few weeks, you will be put through several different training exercises and simulations," she started to explain. "During each one, you will each take turns assuming leadership of the team. This way, you all have a fair shot of proving yourself a worthy leader. At the end of the final training exercise, you will all vote on a permanent leader. Whoever you pick will be your leader for the rest of your existence as a team."

They all nodded. Black Canary had explained this to them already – and Artemis had been itching to prove herself for weeks. She wanted to be leader so badly it almost hurt.

"Got it, cool," Kid Flash said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "So what's our first exercise? Something dangerous, right?"

"Something we think – we hope – you're capable of handling together as a unit," Batman said, shutting off the computer. He turned and started walking out of the main room. "Follow me."


	11. Chapter 10

The first exercise was, to put it frankly, a disaster.

Artemis thought that was because Wally was leading them.

He had stepped up immediately, volunteering to be the first one to take his shot as leader of the team, and nobody had protested. The team had all put on their uniforms and congregated in the simulation room, where their exercise had been set up. Batman had explained the exercise to them, and the team members had all huddled in a group to formulate the best plan of attack.

Artemis supposed Wally would've been a halfway decent leader if he weren't so impulsive. He acted too quickly, without thinking most of the time. His snap decisions got them in unfavorable situations and ended up making their first training simulation a failure. Artemis could tell he was embarrassed about it, and she wanted so badly to tease him, but something in his expression made her hold back. She refused to believe it was because she felt sorry for him. She did _not _feel sorry for Wally West.

A few days afterward, they had another shot. M'gann would be leading this time, and Artemis tried to give her reassuring smiles whenever the Martian looked to her for guidance. It started out fine – they went into the simulation confidently, working smoothly and efficiently – but then M'gann let her determination get the best of her. She was so focused on succeeding that she let crucial aspects of their attack plan slip through her fingers, and their enemies overcame them. When she started to cry at her slipups, Conner awkwardly patted her shoulder while scowling at the ground. M'gann smiled at him and blushed.

When it was Aqualad's turn to lead, their simulation was as successful as it could have been. There were no mistakes, no hesitation, no arguments between the team members. The Atlantean thought logistically and analytically, and his attack plans were organized and methodical. So far, Artemis thought Aqualad had the best chance of being their leader. And that made her nervous. _She_ wanted to be leader.

When it was her turn, the day after their first successful trial run, she took deep breaths and tried to build up some confidence. She could do this. It was finally time to prove to her teammates that she had what it took to lead them on the battlefield. Even before the simulation started, she was already forming a plan. The first half went beautifully, and Artemis couldn't help feeling proud of herself. But her pride cost her a few dangerous mistakes during the last half, and she wanted to kick herself. She kept hearing her father's voice in her head, scolding her for what she'd done wrong.

It took her a while to get over the fact that she'd made a mistake, and she was distracted when it was Superboy's turn to lead the team. But she wasn't the only one who messed up – Superboy let his anger control him, and that simulation ended up being almost as much of a failure as the one led by Wally. Superboy stormed out of the simulation room in anger, kicking things as he went. Artemis felt guilty that she felt sort of better about herself. At least she hadn't been as bad as Conner.

The last one to try his hand at leading the team was Robin. He was almost evenly matched with Aqualad in leadership skills. But when it came time to vote (Wally was upset that he couldn't vote for himself), everyone unanimously chose Aqualad as their team leader. Artemis raised her hand begrudgingly. She tried not to hold it against Kaldur that he'd been chosen over her. It was probably for the best, she decided.

She couldn't help but notice that Robin looked the slightest bit relieved when Aqualad was given the job.

A week after all the training simulations were over and the team was awaiting final evaluation from Batman, Artemis was working out in the weight room. She was trying to sweat away her disappointment in herself when Black Canary came in.

"Hello, Artemis," Dinah said, and Artemis barely glanced at her. She was doing chin-ups on the bar. She was up to fifty.

"I just wanted to say I'm proud of the effort you've been making to coexist with your teammates," Dinah said softly, and Artemis raised an eyebrow. She had been making somewhat of an effort, but not a very big one. Wally made it hard to want to try.

"Thanks," Artemis grunted.

"I know you're disappointed in yourself for messing up during your simulation." Dinah smiled kindly, and Artemis huffed. It was kind of annoying how Black Canary could hit the nail on the head instantly like that. She always knew what was wrong, even when Artemis thought she'd done a very good job of keeping her emotions hidden.

She shrugged. "Whatever."

"It happens to the best of us," Dinah assured her. "You did a good job, Artemis. You were exceptional. When I spoke to Oliver about it, he was very proud."

Artemis took some pride in that. She smiled. She'd hardly seen her mentor since she started living in the mountain, and she missed going on patrols with him.

Dinah didn't say anything else as Artemis went over to the rack that held the barbells. As Black Canary left the room, Artemis didn't notice Wally coming in behind her. He stopped in the entrance when he noticed her and turned right back around, but then Artemis saw a flash of red hair out of the corner of her eye.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, a little annoyed that he'd interrupted her workout. "You never work out."

"How do you know?" Wally snapped, chewing on a nutrition bar. "Maybe I do." His eyes were on her face, but just for a second, they strayed down to her bare stomach – she was wearing a cutoff t-shirt and exercise shorts. He jerked his eyes back up and shook his head, blushing angrily.

"Whatever," Artemis snarled. "Just stay out of my way and don't distract me, Kid Idiot."

"Stop calling me that!" His eyebrows drew together angrily, and Artemis smirked.

"I'll stop calling you that when it stops being funny," she said, and Wally frowned. He stalked over to one of the treadmills and turned it on. Artemis couldn't help watching him as he ran, faster and faster until his legs were a blur.

They worked out silently for a while, neither of them acknowledging the other, until at least half an hour had passed. Wally was looking around the gym with a bored expression on his face, having already used all the available machines and equipment. Artemis was using the weight stack machine, sweat pooling on her forehead and in the dip of her collarbone.

"Wanna spar?" Wally said suddenly, and she stopped, looking at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Rematch," she said. "For last time."

He grinned at her, and for some reason, Artemis grinned back.

"I'll kick your butt, Blondie," Wally said, and Artemis cracked her knuckles as she headed towards the mats at the back of the gym.

"We'll see." She stretched her arms and legs to prepare herself, and Wally shook out his limbs. They faced each other on the mats.

"You're going down, redhead," Artemis promised. And then she lunged.


	12. Chapter 11

"Hey, uh . . ." Wally started hesitantly, and Artemis looked over at him with a satisfied grin. They were drying off from their sparring match – Artemis had won this time.

"Yeah?" she asked, and Wally rubbed the back of his head with his towel, looking sheepish.

"I just wanted to say that I thought you did a pretty good job during your simulation. When you were leading the team, I mean," he said, and for a second, Artemis was so taken aback that she didn't know what to say.

"Oh," she said, looking at the ground. "Thanks." She shrugged. "I could've done better."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You did fine. Better than I did, anyway." He grinned at her, laughing at his own embarrassment. He always tried to make things into a joke.

"Where's this coming from?" Artemis asked in bewilderment. They'd been at each other's throats ever since they moved into the mountain, and now all of a sudden he was trying to be nice to her? She didn't buy it.

Wally shrugged, looking defensive now. "Everybody keeps saying we have to get along, right? I'm just trying to make an effort."

"So you're not trying to like, put the moves on me or something? Because that is _so _gross. I thought you were in love with M'gann."

Wally blushed and glared at her. "No, I'm not trying to put the moves on you! I'm just trying to be nice!" He crossed his arms over his chest. "And I'm not in love with M'gann. She's just really hot. Would I like to go out with her? Yes. But I'm not in love with her."

"Good, because she has a crush on Conner," Artemis said, and she smiled when Wally's face fell.

"What?" he asked.

"Hate to break it to you, buddy, but she's a lost cause. I'd give it up if I were you," she advised, and Wally shook his head.

"Nuh-uh. Nope. She's not dating Conner, is she? That means I still have a chance. Supey's got nothin' on me," he said confidently, sticking out his chest. "The Wall-Man's an expert when it comes to women."

Artemis laughed out loud. "Is he now?"

"Please. I bet you dream of me at night," he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "Even you can't resist my many charms."

Artemis made a gagging motion. "In your dreams, Kid Idiot."

"In yours, Blondie," he said, and then he _winked _at her. For some reason, she blushed.

"Uh, anyway," Wally said nervously, seeming to realize what he'd just done. "Wanna hear a joke?"

Artemis shrugged carelessly. "Sure."

"Why don't they play poker in the jungle?"

"I don't know, why?" Artemis wiped herself down with her towel and took a sip of her water.

"Too many cheetahs!" Wally said, holding his hands out as if he was presenting something. "Huh? Huh? Come on, you have to admit that's funny."

"More like terribly corny," Artemis said with a smirk, and Wally frowned as she started walking out of the gym. He zipped to her side to catch up with her, causing a gust of wind to brush across her back. Her spine tingled.

"Okay, I've got another one," Wally said, following her through the halls of the mountain. "What's a pepper that won't leave you alone?"

He grinned, waiting for her to answer, and she sighed. "What?"

"Jalapeno business!"

When he got no reaction from Artemis, he frowned. "Oh, come on! That was funny!"

"Nope." Artemis shook her head, hiding her smile.

Wally followed her around the mountain, giving her all the jokes he had in his arsenal. When she laughed at none of them, he put his foot down.

"Okay. That's it. My mission – and I choose to accept it – is to make you laugh by the end of our first mission, whenever that may be. If I win and I make you laugh, like hysterical, rolling on the floor laughter, you have to buy me all the Chicken Whizees I want for a week." He smiled smugly, and Artemis raised an eyebrow at the challenge.

"And if I win?" she asked, already knowing she would.

"If you win . . . then you can call me Kid Idiot for the rest of my life," Wally said, and Artemis smirked.

"I was planning to do that anyway," she said, and the redhead rolled his eyes.

"Fine, then . . ." He gave a resigned sigh and closed his eyes. "If you win, I'll let you use me for target practice."

Now _that _was interesting. Artemis pretended to think for a second.

"You drive a hard bargain," she said, and then she smiled and stuck out her hand. "Deal."

Wally shook it, and little jolts of electricity went through her fingers. Wally felt it, too, because his eyes widened and he jerked away. Artemis pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Be prepared to wear some extra padding under your costume," she said, smiling at Wally. "Or some armor. I never miss a target."

"Oh, yeah? Well, be prepared to laugh until you cry," Wally shot back. "I'm _so_ gonna win this one."

"Not a chance, Kid Idiot." She sauntered away from him down the hallway, her long blonde ponytail swinging behind her. Wally watched her leave, terrified of the sudden fluttery feeling he felt in his chest.


	13. Chapter 12

Once a leader had been officially chosen, the team was eager to be assigned their first real mission. For weeks Wally had been blabbering on and on about what it might be, and Artemis had to stop herself from screaming at him to shut up. Why couldn't he just sit down and be patient?

But she was excited, too. Their first mission would be the one that proved that she and her team could measure up to the League.

And yet it was _still _a few more weeks before Batman assigned it to them. They'd been living in Mount Justice for most of August and all of September, and October was creeping up slowly on Happy Harbor, the town where the mountain resided. The team members were put through a few more training simulations with Aqualad leading them, and they improved with each one.

Wally kept trying to make Artemis laugh, to no avail. She wasn't budging. He was only funny when he did something stupid or embarrassing, but when Artemis laughed at those things, she swore it didn't count. The deal was that she had to laugh at one of his jokes, and that was never going to happen. Ever. But Wally was annoyingly persistent.

Everyone was hanging out in the living room when Batman finally assigned them their first mission. Dick and Wally were versing each other in a video game with Artemis watching, sitting on the couch with them. Conner and M'gann were ensconced in a silent game of checkers, and Kaldur was standing off to the side, looking deep in thought.

"Hey, Artemis," Wally said without taking his eyes off the TV screen; he and Dick had gone three rounds in their game so far, and Dick had beaten him each time.

"What," Artemis replied flatly, preparing herself for another terrible joke.

"Why do you never see elephants hiding in trees?" he asked, and Artemis rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I don't know, why?"

"They're really good at it," Wally said, and Dick burst out laughing next to him. Artemis had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from smiling, because that one was actually funny. Damn it. He was getting better. She'd have to keep her guard up more.

Suddenly, the mountain's intercom crackled overhead, making the team pause and look up.

"Batman to Team," Batman's voice echoed through the mountain. "Get dressed in your uniforms and report to the Cave for your first mission debriefing."

Wally immediately jumped up and pumped his fist in the air. "Yes! Here we go!" In another second he was gone, running off to his room to put on his yellow-and-red uniform.

Dick was immediately serious, turning off the video game without saving the progress and shutting off the TV. Kaldur's face was composed and calm, but there was a nervous ripple going through him. Conner's fists clenched at the prospect of finally being in the middle of some real action, and M'gann looked at Artemis and smiled excitedly.

"Our first mission! Are you ready?" she asked, and Artemis nodded, cracking her knuckles.

"More than you know," she said. "Let's do this thing."

The team separated to put on their uniforms and regrouped in the Cave, where Batman was waiting in front of the holographic computer. Robin approached his mentor with a steady calmness and a determination to make Batman proud. Kid Flash was bouncing on his toes, buzzing with energy. Artemis gripped her bow tightly and made sure she had all the important arrows in her quiver, plus her collapsible crossbow strapped to her thigh. She didn't care what the mission was going to be – she was ready to get out there and defeat the bad guys. She wouldn't fail.

No, the Team wouldn't fail. Artemis had to remind herself to stop thinking singularly. She was part of a team now, and they had to work together if they wanted to get the job done. Despite the long amount of time they'd already spent living together, Artemis was still getting used to having so many friends. To being trusted by so many people.

And they really did trust her, despite her parentage and her family's history. In the months they'd lived together, the team had become her new family. It was a strange feeling.

Once everyone had gathered in the Cave, Batman pulled up a map on the computer in front of them.

"Your first mission is on an island called Santa Prisca," he said, zooming in on the location on the map. "Your targets are members of an illegal drug ring operating within the country."

"A drug bust?" Wally said incredulously. "_That's _our first mission? Aren't there any big bads for us to tackle?"

"This drug ring runs under the control of the League of Shadows," Batman said, and Artemis automatically stiffened. She had experience with those guys. Did that mean her father was involved? Her sister?

"Who's in charge?" she asked stiffly, and Batman leveled her with a steady look.

"His name is Bane," Batman said, and Artemis instantly relaxed. Not Sportsmaster. "He is an extremely dangerous villain with extraordinary skills. Do not underestimate him. Your objective is to infiltrate his base on the island and apprehend him and his men. The League will take care of the rest."

"What about the product?" Robin asked. "The drugs?"

"The League will handle it," Batman replied, and Robin pursed his lips and nodded.

"You'll take Miss Martian's bioship," Batman said, and Miss Martian nodded. "Enter in camouflage mode. Scope out the landscape. Do not be seen or heard. If Bane and his men catch you, it could mean serious repercussions for the fate of this team. Is that clear?"

The team members nodded determinedly. They wouldn't screw this up.

"Here are your coordinates. You depart in two hours."

Artemis took a deep breath. _Here we go. _


	14. Chapter 13

**13\. **

"We're over the drop zone," M'gann said, and Artemis's heart started to beat faster. Here we go. "Are we ready?"

"Ready," the team responded in unison. They had reached Santa Prisca. Their first official mission was underway. Artemis clutched her bow, instantly ready. M'gann lowered the bioship into the trees in camouflage mode. They were close to the site where Batman said Bane was operating.

"Proceed with caution," Aqualad said as the team quietly exited the bioship. "As Batman said, we cannot be seen or heard. We must apprehend Bane and his men without getting caught."

"Easy peasy," Kid Flash said. "We got this, guys." Artemis almost smiled. At least he was encouraging.

The team crept up to the treeline, where they could see the gray building that Bane was operating his drug ring out of. Artemis didn't see any Shadows around, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

Robin brought up a hologram screen from his watch. "Seven guards outside the building. Two in front, two on the sides, three in back. There are trucks in the back - they must be getting ready to transport the product. We've gotta stop that from happening."

Wally focused his goggles. "Tons of heat signatures inside. One really big guy - that must be Bane. About . . . ten or fifteen other people inside the building."

"Is that all?" Artemis scoffed. Kid Flash grinned in the dark. It was nighttime, and the dark would be the perfect cover, as they were all in stealth mode.

"First things first," Superboy grumbled. "The guards."

"Take them down quietly," Aqualad instructed. "We must not let Bane know we are here. M'gann, you and I will take the ones in the front. Robin and Kid Flash, you take those on the side. Superboy and Artemis, the back. Once you have disarmed and apprehended the guards, find your way inside. Stay undetected. Once inside, we'll apprehend as much of the men as we can before we move on Bane together."

Everyone nodded. Artemis was a little nervous about being paired with Superboy, but she tried not to let that make her lose focus. It was all about trust, after all. She had to trust him in order to work well with him. She just hoped he trusted her, too. It was a two-way street.

"Move out," Aqualad said, and the team separated. Artemis's heart was steadily pounding in her chest, but she was focused. She and Superboy shared a look before Superboy took a huge leap that put him on the other side of the building. Artemis grit her teeth. She ran swiftly across the Santa Prisca ground, her bow at the ready. Kid Flash had already taken down one of the guards on the side of the building, so she got past without any interference. She joined Superboy at the back. There were four large metal trucks standing in a line at the back of the building, three guards standing watch in front of them. One was stationed at the back entrance, and the other two were poised by the trucks. Superboy landed in front of the guard by the back door. Before the guard even had a chance to react, Superboy had grabbed him and disarmed him. Artemis snuck behind the trucks and disarmed the second guard. The third guard almost fired his weapon before Superboy stopped him, and they hogtied the three guards together, putting gags over their mouths so they wouldn't call for help.

"Nice job," Superboy grumbled without smiling, and Artemis smiled to herself.

"Thanks. You too," she said. "Let's get inside."

She opened the back door of the building quietly. Luckily, it wasn't creaky. The door opened directly into the building, which was a flat warehouse with only one floor. There was a metal catwalk suspended from the ceiling. The warehouse was filled with crates and boxes and machines, which Bane's men were lifting and moving across the floor. There was a strange machine which Artemis assumed was the thing that made the drugs, and Bane stood near that, surveying his operation with a smug, satisfied look on his face. Artemis looked around, but she didn't see any other members of the League of Shadows. Bane must've been working alone.

"Up here," she whispered to Superboy, heading quietly towards the staircase that led up to the catwalk. She could see a shadow moving around up there that she thought was Robin. She felt a gust of wind at her back, and her ponytail whipped behind her. Her spine tingled. Kid Flash ran past her and up onto the catwalk. She could hear the ghost of his laugh as he passed her, and she rolled her eyes.

She and Superboy rendezvoused with the rest of the team on top of the catwalk. From this vantage point, they could see everything that was going on down below.

"You've all taken down your guards?" Aqualad whispered, and everyone nodded.

"Hogtied and gagged," Superboy said.

"Tied up and shut up," Kid Flash said at the same time.

"Good. Now, we handle the rest." Aqualad looked down on the scene below, and Artemis could tell he was trying to figure out their next move. She was ready to use her bow - she hadn't had to use that much force to take down the guards outside, and she wanted to shoot some arrows. Her hands were practically itching for it.

"There are fifteen men, plus Bane," Robin said quietly. "Should be easy."

"Take them down using any means necessary," Aqualad said.

"What about Bane?" Artemis asked, her fingers tingling. They twitched towards her quiver.

"We take him down together. Avoid his attacks until the rest of his men have been apprehended."

Artemis grimaced. She could just shoot him with a polyeurathane foam arrow right now and have him trapped in high-polymer foam within seconds. It might not hold him for very long, but it would give her enough time to use a shock arrow to knock him out. She could take him down single-handed.

But no. She was on a team now. She had to keep reminding herself of that. A team worked together. Black Canary and Green Arrow were expecting her to do well, and she wanted to impress them. The best way to do that was by working well with the team.

"Fine," she said. "Can we go get them now?"

"Yes," Aqualad said, a smile on his face, and he dropped down from the catwalk.


	15. Chapter 14

**14\. **

The team jumped to the ground behind Aqualad, landing on the warehouse ground in the middle of Bane's men. The warehouse was thrown into instant chaos, Artemis almost didn't know where to focus. But then she saw the shapeless red-and-yellow blur that was Kid Flash, rounding up a group of men and herding them into a circle. Artemis shot an arrow into the fray and trapped the men in foam. Kid Flash grinned at her.

"Nice!" he shouted, and she couldn't help smiling.

"Thanks!" She shot another arrow, this one a net-launcher, and trapped another group of henchmen. Aqualad was fighting off a few others with his water-bearers, Robin had a handle on his own group of nasties, Miss Martian had disarmed and incapacitated three more, and Superboy was working on the rest. Artemis whirled, searching for a place she was needed. Nobody seemed to need any help. She turned to look for Bane. She knew Aqualad said they would take him down together, but maybe she could get a head start.

"Artemis, look out!" She barely had time to pay attention to Kid Flash's warning when she was grabbed from behind by an impossibly strong pair of arms. Bane crushed her in his grip, and Artemis's air supply was cut off. She dropped her bow and grabbed at Bane's arms, trying to free herself, but it was no use. She couldn't breathe. She was starting to see spots.

_Come on, little girl. You're giving up that easily? _Her father's voice snarled mockingly in her head, and Artemis grit her teeth. With all her strength, she bit down on Bane's arm. Hard. She tasted blood in her mouth, and Bane dropped her. She grabbed her bow, rolled a somersault, and came right side up facing Bane. She shot an electric shock arrow at him. It barely even seemed to affect him, and she made a noise of frustration.

Robin came up beside her and threw something at Bane. It landed on the ground at his feet, sticking into the warehouse floor. Artemis heard a creepy, childlike laugh from the device, and then it exploded, throwing Bane across the warehouse.

"Nice," Artemis told Robin, who was grinning. She grinned back at him.

"Superboy, a little help over here," Robin said, and Superboy took a flying jump onto Bane. Artemis watched him pummel the villain with his fists. She saw a spurt of blood fly from Bane's face and his head loll on the ground. He was knocked out. Artemis didn't much like the look on Superboy's face and the way his fists were still clenched, but she didn't say anything.

"Now let's tie him up," Robin suggested. Miss Martian found a rope and used her levitation powers to tie it tightly around Bane, securing his arms behind his back. Aqualad surveyed the scene with an unreadable look on his face.

"Why so glum, chum?" Kid Flash asked, patting Aqualad on the back. "Mission complete. We did it."

"I suppose," Aqualad said uncertainly. "We will see what Batman has to say."

Robin's eyebrow twitched. Artemis stretched her arms up and winced, holding her side. "Ow, ow!"

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Miss Martian flew over to Artemis's side in concern.

"I think Bane broke one of my ribs," Artemis said, speaking through her teeth. It wasn't the worst injury she'd suffered, but it still hurt.

"We should call the League and get back to the cave," Kid Flash said, and Robin nodded in agreement. "They can pick these guys up. Artemis should get to the infirmary."

Artemis winced when she tried to walk. She had hit her knee pretty hard when she landed on the ground, and it hurt a little bit to walk. She felt pathetic. Her first mission and she had nothing to show for it. She'd gotten captured and injured by Bane, and she'd barely done anything to help take him down. She was angry with herself.

"Do you need any help?" Miss Martian asked as Artemis limped towards the exit.

"No. I'm fine," she snapped. She didn't mean to sound so snippy, but she was pissed. She should've done better. None of the others had a single scratch on them.

_Way to prove yourself, Artemis, _she thought to herself. What would her father say? Her sister? They'd both be mocking her, jibing her, telling her she was weak. She'd made rookie mistakes today, mistakes that Cheshire would never, ever make. Artemis would do better next time.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" Kid Flash was at her side, trying to help her walk to the bioship. "I can, uh, I can carry you? I mean, if your leg hurts - " He blushed and ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, you know - "

"I said I'm fine," she gritted out. "Thanks."

Kid Flash glared at her. "Fine. Just trying to be friendly."

"Whatever." She was in no mood for friendliness. She felt a little bad, but she didn't let it make her feel guilty. She stalked to the bioship and rummaged around the aircraft, searching for something to wrap her knee with. There had to be some medical tape in here or something. She knew how to treat her own injuries, and she wrapped up her knee and her ribs while the others made contact with the League to inform them of a successful first mission. Successful for them, anyway. For Artemis, it had been a failure.

She hated that she kept seeing her father's face in her head. She wanted to stop thinking about what he would say. It didn't matter. The only people's opinions who mattered were the League's. Batman and Black Canary, and especially Green Arrow. She hated to think of what her mentor would say about her failures.


End file.
